License to Carry a Concealed Weapon
QUALIFIED APPLICANTS:
In order to qualify for a license to carry a firearm, the applicant must meet certain requirements, including:
(a) Be at least 21 years of age (Penal Code § 29610).
(b) Fully complete a Department of Justice application form that will include substantial personal information. Much of the information in the application may be subject to public access under the Public Records Act.
To apply for a Concealed Carry Weapon License please click here.
(d) Be free from criminal convictions that would disqualify the applicant from carrying a firearm. Fingerprints will be required and a complete criminal background check will be conducted.
(e) Be of good moral character (Penal Code § 26150; Penal Code § 26155). The applicant shall provide at least three letters of character reference.
(f) Pay all associated application fees. These fees are set by statute and may not be refunded if the application is denied.
(g) Be free from any psychological conditions that might make the applicant unsuitable for carrying a firearm.
(h) Complete required training (Penal Code § 26165).
GOOD CAUSE FOR ISSUANCE:
Per the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, requiring an applicant to establish ‘good cause’ to get a carry permit is unconstitutional. To comply with the ruling, we will no longer enforce this requirement or require applicants to demonstrate good cause to qualify for a license to carry a firearm.
(a) The applicant is currently employed by a security firm, executive protection or private investigations must have all requisite licenses, and provides satisfactory proof that his or her work is of a nature that requires the carrying of a concealed weapon in public.
(b) The applicant is a duly appointed Sonoma County Reserve Deputy as defined in Penal Code § 830.6.
(c) The applicant is a member of the magistrate either presiding and/or residing in the County of Sonoma.
APPLICATION PROCESS
FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION:
Read the application in its entirety, including all sections and Agreement Statement 6 of 7: Firearms Prohibiting Categories (pages 12 and 13). Complete all required sections. The total cost of the Concealed Weapons permit is $517.50 which includes a $79.80 non-refundable application fee and a $118.50 Department of Justice live scan fee which is due when you submit your application. The remaining balance of $319.20 will be due at the time of permit pick up.
After initial review of your application, you may be contacted to schedule an interview with an Investigator. (Please be sure to include your best phone contact information on your application.) You will be notified in writing of the approval or denial within 30 to 90 days of submitting your application to the Sheriff's Office. If your application receives initial preliminary approval and moves on to the next step in the application approval process, you will be notified in writing to provide the following:
Beginning with DOJ LiveScan (fingerprinting) conducted at the Sheriff's Office, you will also be required to provide proof of completion of an initial CCW course taught by one of the CCW training providers listed below, three original and individual letters of character reference. The Sheriff's Office will not ask you to provide any of the above documentation until we have received your DOJ and FBI fingerprint clearance. Once we receive these clearances, we will contact you in writing and provide additional information on what is required next.
Depending on DOJ and FBI clearance response times, the entire application/ approval process can take up to 120 days.
ISSUED FIREARMS PERMITS:
In the event a license to carry a firearm is issued by the Sheriff, the following shall apply:
(a) The license will not be valid outside the state of California.
(b) The license will be subject to any and all reasonable restrictions or conditions the Sheriff has deemed warranted, including restrictions as to the time, place, manner and circumstances under which the person may carry the firearm.
All such restrictions or conditions shall be conspicuously noted on any license issued (Penal Code § 26200).
Each license shall be numbered and clearly identify the licensee.
All licenses shall be subjected to inspection by the Sheriff or any law enforcement officer.
(c) The license will be valid for a period not to exceed two years from the date of issuance (Penal Code § 26220).
A CCW renewal course must be satisfactorily completed every two years incident to renewal of your CCW license. See below for our list of approved CCW training providers. Click here to renew online. Submit your renewal documentation approximately 90 days prior to your CCW expiration date. As of July 1, 2022, the renewal fee is $101.00
A license issued to a state or federal magistrate, commissioner, or judge will be valid for a period not to exceed three years.
A license issued to any reserve peace officer as defined in Penal Code §830.6 (a) or (b), or a custodial officer employed by the Sheriff as provided in Penal Code § 831.5 will be valid for a period not to exceed four years, except that such license shall be invalid upon the individual's conclusion of service as a reserve or custodial officer.
(d) If the licensee's place of residence was the basis for issuance of a license and the licensee moves out of the county of issuance, the license shall expire 90 days after the licensee has moved (Penal Code § 26210(d)).
(e) The licensee shall notify this department in writing within 10 days of any change of place of residency.
(f) Carrying a weapon is not authorized when the licensee is under psychiatric care.
(g) Carrying a weapon is not authorized when the licensee is under the influence of medication, illicit substances, or has consumed any alcoholic beverage.
(h) Carrying a weapon is not authorized when the licensee is present on the premises where the service of alcoholic beverages is the primary function.
(i) Absent an exemption noted on the license, the licensee is expressly prohibited from carrying firearms on the property of any school, court building, courtroom, jail or prison facility, or any other place where firearms are prohibited.
Questions? Call the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at (707) 565-8995.
SONOMA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
APPROVED CCW TRAINING COURSE PROVIDERS
AAO Red Dot Sight Instructor Optics Installation Specialist
Bryan Kinney Petaluma, CA
(707) 400-3677 Bryan@aao-co.com www.aao-co.com
G4 FIREARMS Red Dot Sight Instructor Optics Installation Specialist Scott Gabaldon Santa Rosa, CA (707) 540-0509 www.g4firearms.com
PALADIN TACTICAL US Daniel Butler Fairfield, CA (707) 863-1064 dan@paladin-tactical-us.com www.paladin-tactical-us.com
DEFENSIVE ACCURACY, LLC
Denise King Richmond, CA
(408) 687-3791 king@daccw.com
www.daccw.com
2nd AMENDMENT FIREARMS ACADEMY Red Dot Pistol Instructor
Doug Kevilus Concord, CA (707) 410-0389
contact@2aFirearmsAcademy.com www.2aFirearmsAcademy.com
SHOWKET TRAINING
Ziyad (Zip) Showket Chris Suggs Novato, CA
(415) 497-1983 zip@showkettraining.com
Showkettraining.com
TITAN PROTECTIVE TRAINING Red Dot Sight Instructor Optics Installation Specialist
Jammey Feith Windsor, CA
(707) 568-1777 titanprotectiveccw@gmail.com www.titanprotective.com
GUNSMITHING SERVICES
KEN KRAUSHAAR FIREARMS SERVICE gun-tech@kraushaarfirearms.com www.kraushaarfirearms.com 707-795-8952
